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If you’re tired of fighting your way to swim bars in Cancun and Los Cabos, there’s another resort-laden paradise with countless direct flights from the US just waiting to be explored.
While many Canadians are taking advantage of here to escape the blistering cold, Americans are still behind the curve and seem to be giving too much credence to travel advisories in favor of the usual safe havens of Cancun, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta.
Make no mistake, these are Americans’ favorite go-tos for a reason, but even Cancun, as popular as it is, has seen random violent crime problems in tourist areas.
I just got home Ixtapaa sun-kissed resort town in the state of Guerrero that boasts 90-degree days year-round surrounded by swaying green mountains and swaying palm trees over crystal clear waters and immaculate beaches.
Believe it or not, I’m putting my travel reputation on the line as a former Cabo sun Journalist to tell you it is more beautiful than Los Cabos And so much less of a burden on your wallet.
Despite Level 4: Do not travel US State Department designation, Ixtapa, is Guerrero’s one bright spot that couldn’t feel safer, more luxurious, or more authentic, especially when it comes to the region’s sinfully delicious coastal cuisine.
Zihuatanejo may be trendy, but don’t sleep on ixtapa
“Zihua,” as locals say, has become a trendy destination on many travel lists over the past year or so, largely in part because of Thompson Hotel’s opulent doors.
But sometimes vacationers make the mistake of becoming too comfortable sticking to the resort grounds without stepping foot in town, and the temptation is understanding with such fancy amenities being thrown at you left and right.
Even if you stay in Zihua, Ixtapa’s up-and-coming smaller sister city is worth venturing for the beaches alone, and well-equipped for an increase in travelers with such high-end resorts as:
- Holiday Inn Resort Ixtapa
- Hotel Fontan Ixtapa
- Club Med Ixtapa Pacific
- Sunscape Dorado Pacifico
- Barcelo ixtapa
Ixtapa is only a 20 minute taxi ride from the airport (ZIH), and no, there is no Uber here, but don’t worry about hiring taxi drivers as fares are clearly published in advance.
Once you arrive, you’ll discover postcard-worthy beaches, including one Certified Blue Flag Beach That is literally flawless. There wasn’t a speck of trash in sight running up and down Playa El Palmar.
Although rare, the only concern to keep a vigilant eye on is crocodiles and occasional strong currents which are represented by the color of the flag posted each day.
The small town center is very walkable through the resort area, including a Senor Frogs Cantina. Every resort town should have one, right?
My stay at Barcelo Ixtapa
I stayed at 5 star Barcelo ixtapa“Split” on the all-inclusive package for just $170 per night total for 2 people.
Try that in Cabo….
Of the resorts along the aforementioned Playa El Palmar, Barcelo seemed the most luxurious and undoubtedly offered the best pools, especially the center pool of the resort’s trio with views of the Pacific and security guards blocking out harassing salespeople.
Shamelessly in “Vacation Mode” for 4 days, I lost count of the Pina Coladas and Cuba libraries I indulged in at both swim-up bars, but my recommendation is to choose your poison over house-burning, watered-down slushies.
If you can swing it, booking a corner ‘Oceanview’ room is the way to go, in my opinion, but the view of the mountain on the other side is equally stunning to wake up to.
Treating yourself to ‘premium’ upgrades isn’t worth it, as the buffets are well stocked with a variety of cuisine ranging from an omelet station at breakfast to a seafood lover’s dream on Saturday with a sprawling feast of grilled lobster tails, spicy octopus, and shrimp paella.
If you book the standard all-inclusive package, just know You are limited to a single specialty restaurant every 3 daysbut several buffets and the Caracol snack bar more than make up for it.
$5 well spent: take a day trip to Isla ixtapa
The great thing about all-inclusive is that you only have to worry about tipping, but if you have an extra Abe Lincoln to spare, then you should only see ISLA Ixtapa via Water Taxi $5 return.
You can book a tour here, but it’s easy to get to on your own and more fun to explore without the language barrier.
To get here, take a taxi to Playa Linda and walk past the crocodile lagoon, through the souvenir shops to the Embarcadero.
Here you buy tickets and board the water taxi. The ride itself is a sight to behold, but I recommend walking Playa Verdero Instead of Playa Coral, because it is more of a hideout of Fisherman bringing in your soon to be sold “catch of the day”.
Choosing a place for lunch will be your only headache here, but I suggest El Indio. Ask for Carlos, who was kind enough to provide free sunscreen after my bot mistake of leaving it in my room.
You have a lot of options, but the servers suggest the Mahi Mahi and Ceviche. I had the latter and it exceeded the hypeE, together with ice-cold Cervezas and a Pina Colada served in a pineapple.
Snorkeling equipment is only $10 to rent and worth the swim in the calm waters.
It really felt like we were in an aquarium with how many vibrant species of fish we saw.
Ixtapa’s top hidden gem: ruins yet to be undiscovered
As destinations like Tulum skyrocket in popularity, a key factor in their newfound fame is how cool it is to dive deep into former worlds, unlike anything we experience in today’s screen-dependent society.
While Ixtapa doesn’t offer stunning ruins on the levels of like Teotihicuan or Chichen Itza, it is only 40 minutes away Xihuacan (aka “La Chole”), a smaller site open to guided tours for an additional charge or free to enter only.
Dating back 3,000 years, Xihuacan’s well-preserved ruins continue to be excavated to this day.
You’ll find a museum of artifacts used by different cultures over time at clay pyramids and a Mesoamerican ball court.
Tripadvisor ranks the Xihuacan Culture and Archeology Tour as the best guide for exploring this hidden world of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo’s past.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
